Information processing apparatus with resume function and information processing system

ABSTRACT

An information processing apparatus having a resume function which can maintain the security even when a plurality of users commonly use the apparatus. A work state at a power-off time of the apparatus is preserved together with a work state name including a user&#39;s ID in a different area in a plurality of preservation areas for resume function on a main memory for each user. When a power source is again turned on, data in the preservation area corresponding to the user&#39;s ID is used to reproduce the work state of the user at the power-off time. The work preservation areas can be provided on a file server apparatus in a network not needing battery back-up. When the information processing apparatus is used, a work state at a power-off time can be independently preserved and reproduced for each user.

CROSSED-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No.10/659,292, filed Sep. 11, 2003; now U.S. Pat. No. 7,366,950 which is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 10/285,447, filed Nov. 1, 2002, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,662,311; which is a continuation of application Ser. No.09/407,840, filed Sep. 29, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,207; which is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 08/975,054, filed Nov. 20, 1997,now U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,186; which is a continuation of application Ser.No. 08/667,583, filed Jun. 24, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,932; whichis a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/001,248, filed Jan. 6,1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,675, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatussuch as a personal computer, and more particularly, to a resume functionfor reproducing the work state that existed when a power source of theprocessing apparatus was turned off, upon turning on the power sourceagain. The present invention also relates to a resume function in aninformation processing system which has a plurality of informationprocessing apparatuses connected through a network.

Thanks to the advance of small device mounting techniques anddevelopment of power consumption reducing techniques in recent years,personal computers, work stations, word processors and so on(hereinafter they are called “information processing apparatuses”) havebecome increasingly smaller in size, and even notepad size productsoperable with a battery have recently been brought to the market. Suchbattery driven information processing apparatuses require a user tofrequently shut off the power supply either manually or automatically inorder to prevent the battery from being consumed in a short time.However, when the power source is to be turned off, the user is requiredto store user information, for example, a document under processing andso on, in a non-volatile storage unit, and moreover, when the powersource is to be turned on again, the user must recall a program and thethus stored user information from the non-volatile storage unit. Forthis reason, such frequent turning-off of the power source causes aproblem that efficient use of the apparatus is less likely for the user.

To attend to this problem, it is now common for a battery driveninformation processing apparatus be provided with a so-called resumefunction to store the contents of a display memory, I/O registers ofinput/output devices and so on in a main memory, and preserve thecontents of the main memory by backing up the same with a battery beforeturning off the power source such that when the power source is againturned on, the contents of the display memory, the I/O registers of theinput/output devices and so on preserved in the main memory are writtenback to the respective devices, and a state upon turning off the batteryis reproduced as if the apparatus had been kept operating. Informationprocessing apparatuses having such a resume function are disclosed, forexample, in JP-A-57-17042 and JP A-2-93814.

As described above, the resume function provides an excellentinformation processing apparatus which can reproduce a user's work stateupon again turning on the power source and does not cause thedegradation of the usability of the apparatus even if the power sourceis frequently turned off to reduce the consumption of the battery.However, the resume function hitherto provided in information processingapparatuses does not allow the user to perform another operation whilepreserving a work state. Also, when a plurality of users use a singleinformation processing apparatus in which a user has preserved a workstate using the resume function, another user, when turning on theinformation processing apparatus, will see the preserved work state ofthe previous user, thereby presenting unfavorable problems regardingsecurity and utility.

Also, since the main memory is backed up by a battery to preserve a workstate, the work state can be preserved only for a limited time periodthe capacity of the battery.

Further, the resume function hitherto provided in information processingapparatuses allows the user to reproduce a previous work state only onthe same information processing apparatus in which the user interruptedwork and preserved the corresponding work state, thereby preventing theuser from operating the same work on different apparatus at variouslocations.

The conventional resume function provided in information processingapparatuses further implies a problem that a connection state to anetwork cannot be correctly reproduced.

The conventional resume function provided in information processingapparatus further presents a problem that a message such as electronicmail transmitted through a network cannot be received during anautomatic power-off state for reducing power consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a first object of the present invention to provide an informationprocessing apparatus which is capable of preserving and reproducing aplurality of work states.

It is a second object of the present invention to provide an informationprocessing apparatus which is capable of preserving a plurality of workstates without backing up a memory with a battery.

It is a third object of the present invention to provide an information,processing system which is capable of reproducing a work state on adifferent information processing apparatus from that in which a userinterrupted work and preserved the corresponding work state.

It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide an informationprocessing system which is capable of preserving and reproducing a workstate on a first information processing apparatus operated by a userusing a file in a different information processing apparatus through anetwork.

It is a fifth object of the present invention to provide an informationprocessing apparatus having a resume function which is capable ofcorrectly reproducing a work state upon again turning on the powersource even if the information processing apparatus is turned off whileconnected to another information processing apparatus on a network.

It is a sixth object of the present invention to provide an informationprocessing apparatus which is capable of displaying a message sent fromanother information processing apparatus connected thereto through anetwork, even if the power source of the information processingapparatus is turned off.

The first object is achieved by providing plural sets of work statepreservation areas for storing information in a storage unit, andreproducing a work state of the information processing apparatus basedon the information in one set of the work state preservation areasspecified by the operator from among the plural sets. Since work statesat a plurality of times are respectively preserved in the plural sets ofthe work state preservation areas, respective work states of a pluralityof operators or work states of a single operator at a plurality of timesare preserved and reproduced.

The second object is achieved by preserving work states in a magneticdisk drive or the like which need not be backed up by a battery. Sincethe is work states are preserved in a magnetic disk drive or the likewhich need not be backed up by a battery, a main memory does not requirebattery back-up so that no electric power is consumed during power-offstate of the information processing apparatus.

The third object is achieved by providing plural sets of work statepreservation areas in a storage unit of a first information processingapparatus; accessing the storage unit of the first informationprocessing apparatus from a second information processing apparatusthrough a network; and executing at least processing for storinginformation on work states at particular times in work statepreservation areas and processing for reproducing a work state based oninformation stored in one set of the work state preservation areasspecified by the operator from among the plural sets. Since a pluralityof information processing apparatuses are connected to each otherthrough a network, and the work state preservation areas arecollectively arranged in a single information processing apparatus, theother information processing apparatuses do not require battery back-upof main memories thereof or installation of a magnetic disk drive or thelike. Also, the work state can be reproduced by an informationprocessing apparatus other than that on which the work state waspreserved.

The fourth object is achieved by executing processing for storing a usedstate of a file in use through the network when a work state ispreserved and processing for reproducing the used state of the file whenthe work state is reproduced. Even if another information processingapparatus in which a file being used through the network is stored setsthis file in an unused state after preserving a work state of the file,since the used state of the file has been stored upon preserving thework state, the used state of the file can be reproduced on the basis ofthe stored contents upon reproducing the work state.

The fifth object is achieved by constantly supplying a networkcontroller with electric power even after preserving a work state,temporarily reproducing the work state when the network controllerreceives a frame from the network in this state, and performing thenecessary processing to maintain a connection state with anotherinformation processing apparatus. Since the network controller or atimer is kept supplied with electric power even after preserving thework state, the processing necessary to maintain the connection statewith other information processing apparatuses can be continuouslyperformed, thereby making it possible to correctly reproduce the workstate when the power source is again turned on. The fifth object is alsoachieved by constantly supplying the timer with electric power evenafter preserving a work state, temporarily reproducing the work statewhen the timer detects the lapse of a specified time in that state, andperforming processing necessary to maintain a connection state withanother information processing apparatus. Since the network controlleror the timer is kept supplied with electric power even after preservingthe work state, the processing necessary to maintain the connectionstate with the other information processing apparatus can becontinuously performed, thereby making it possible to correctlyreproduce the work state when the power source is again turned on.

The sixth object is achieved by constantly supplying the networkcontroller with electric power even after preserving a work state,reproducing the work state when the network controller receives a framefrom the network in that state, and displaying a message to be displayedto the user, if included in the frame. Since the network controller isconstantly supplied with electric power even after preserving a workstate, a frame including a message can be received and the message canbe displayed to the user.

Therefore, according to the present invention, since a plurality of workstates can be preserved and reproduced independently of each other, theuser is allowed to perform different work while preserving a particularwork state. Since work states of a plurality of users can be preservedand reproduced independently of each other, even if a plurality of usersoperate a single information processing apparatus to use the resumefunction, security and utility are not damaged. Also, a work state canbe preserved without using a main memory requiring back-up by a battery,which leads to realizing the resume function on an informationprocessing apparatus or the like which does not have a battery back-upfunction. Since a work state on an information processing apparatus maybe preserved in a different information processing apparatus connectedthereto through a network, the work state may be reproduced on aninformation processing apparatus different from that on which the userinterrupted a work and preserved the work state, thereby providing aninformation processing apparatus which allows the user to operate thesame work at various locations. Even if an information processingapparatus is logically connected with another one through a network, awork state can be correctly preserved and reproduced, which enables theutilization of excellent features provided by the resume function, suchas improvement of user-friendly operation and reduction in powerconsumption, in an information processing apparatus connected to anetwork. Further, even when an information processing apparatus istemporarily turned off while connected to a network for the purpose ofreduction in power consumption, it is automatically turned on again todisplay a message, if arriving at the user, whereby the resume functioncan be utilized without damaging the serviceability provided by aninformation processing apparatus connected to a network such as forelectronic mail and message transmission function and so on.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more apparent from the following detaileddescription, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of stored contents of a main memory in afirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of aninformation processing apparatus according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of programs for realizing a resume functionaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of aninformation processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a format of a work state preservingfile in the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a networkaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating an example of an interrupt programfor performing a work state preservation in a fourth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an example of an interrupt programfor performing work state preservation in a fifth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a reset program forperforming work state reproduction in the fifth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a networkaccording to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 illustrates a memory map of a main memory in the fifthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a format for a work state preservationfile in the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a format for a work state preservationfile in a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a screen for inputting a work statename in the first embodiment;

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of an inquiry screen in the fourthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a screen for inputting a work statepreservation file name;

FIG. 17 illustrates an example of a screen for inputting a user's nameand a password in the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 illustrates an example of a screen for displaying a messageannouncing that an apparatus presently in use is different from anapparatus on which a work state was preserved in the fifth embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 19 illustrates an example of a screen for displaying a messageindicating modified file contents in the fifth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 20 illustrates an example of a file directory according to aseventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 illustrates an example of a screen for inputting a work statepreservation command in the seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of aninformation processing apparatus according to an eighth embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 23 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of aninformation processing system according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a powersupply controller used in the information processing apparatus accordingto the eighth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a sequence diagram representing power-off processing in theeighth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a sequence diagram representing processing for receiving aconnection acknowledgment request frame in the eighth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 27 is a sequence diagram representing processing for again turningon the power source in the eighth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of aninformation processing apparatus according to a ninth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 29 is a sequence diagram representing processing for transmitting aconnection acknowledgement notice frame in the ninth embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 30 is a sequence diagram representing message receiving processingin a tenth embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

FIG. 2 illustrates the configuration of a battery driven informationprocessing apparatus of the present embodiment which comprises a CPU 1;a main memory 2 employing DRAM devices; a display controller 3; adisplay memory 4; a liquid crystal display 5; a ROM 6; a battery 7; amemory controller 8; a power supply controller 9; a power supply switch10 for resume function; a main power supply switch 11; a keyboard 12; akeyboard controller 13; an address/data bus 14; a power supply line 20for back-up; an SRAM 21; and an interrupt signal line 22.

The power supply controller 9 monitors a state of the power supplyswitch 10 for the resume function, a state of the battery 7, and thekeyboard controller 13. If the power supply controller 9 detects, in apower-on state, that a user has depressed the power supply switch 105for resume function, that the battery 7 has been used up, or that noinput has been provided from the keyboard 12 for a predetermined amountof time, the power supply controller 9 so informs the CPU 1 through theinterrupt signal line 22. The CPU 1, upon detecting the interruptsignal, executes an interrupt processing program 50 which has beenpreviously written in the ROM 6. The processing contents of theinterrupt processing program will be explained below with reference to aflow chart of FIG. 3. First, at step 51 for preservation of CPU registercontents, the contents of registers in the CPU 1 are written into themain memory 2. Next, at step 52 for preservation of I/O registercontents in peripheral devices, the contents of I/O registers inperipheral devices including the display controller 3 and the keyboardcontroller 13 are read out and stored in the main memory 2. Further,display data stored in the display memory 4 is read out and stored inthe main memory 2 at step 53 for preservation of display memorycontents. At step 54 for setting a preserved work name, the user isprompted to input a preserved work name which is written into the mainmemory 2. An example of a displayed screen for inputting a preservedwork name is shown in FIG. 14. Also, at step 54 for setting a preservedwork name, a value indicating that work state preservation has beencompleted is written into a resume flag register provided in the powersupply controller 9. Next, at step 55 for power-off processing, the CPU1 controls the power supply controller 9 so that the power supplycontroller 9 itself stops supplying electric power to devices other thanthe SRAM 21 and the memory controller 8 to set the apparatus in thepower-off state. In this state, a minimum refresh operation required topreserve the stored contents in the main memory 2 constituted of DRAMdevices is solely performed by the memory controller 8, whereby thebattery 7 will not, substantially be consumed.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of stored contents in the main memory 2 ofthe first embodiment. The user is allowed to execute an operating system(OS) and an application program using an area from 000000H to 17FFFFH.Here, “H” is a suffix indicative of a hexadecimal number. Data saved bythe interrupt processing program 50 is written into an address area from180000H to 1FFFFFH. In this embodiment, in addition to the preservationarea A 101 from 18000H to 1FFFFFH, areas from 200000H to 3FFFFFH andfrom 400000H to 5FFFFFH are also used as preservation areas B 102 and C103 such that three kinds of work states can be simultaneouslypreserved. It should be noted that the addresses and data may be locatedin a manner different from that shown in FIG. 1.

When the power supply controller 9 detects in power-off state that theuser has again depressed the power supply switch 10 for the resumeprocessing function, the power supply controller 9 resumes the supply ofelectric power to all of the devices. In this operation, the CPU 1 firstexecutes a reset program 60 stored in the ROM 6. As shown in FIG. 3, thereset program 60 first reads out the value of the resume flag registerprovided in the power supply controller 9 to check whether statepreservation was performed upon turning off a power source at step 61for state preservation check. If the result of the check shows thatstate preservation was not performed upon turning off the power source,a step 63 for initial setting is executed to check and initialize themain memory 2, the peripheral devices and the whole apparatus similarlyto an information processing apparatus which does not have a resumefunction, and the apparatus is set in a state of waiting for the user tostart a program. Conversely, if the check result shows that statepreservation was performed upon turning off the power source, the useris prompted to input the preserved work name at step 62 for inputting apreservation area. Then, at step 64 for preserved area check, it ischecked in which of the preservation areas in FIG. 1 that data relatedto the input preserved work name exists. If the work data specified bythe preserved work name is preserved in an area other than thepreservation area A 101 in the addresses from 000000H to 1 FFFFFH, thework data is replaced with the contents in the preservation area A 101at step 65 for replacement with the preservation area A. For example, ifthe preserved work name indicates the preservation area B 102 is at step64 for preservation area check, the contents of the addresses from000000H to 1 FFFFFH are copied to the addresses from 200000H to 3FFFFFH,while the contents of the addresses from 2000QOH to 3FFFFFFH are copiedto the addresses from 000000H to 1FFFFFFH. If the result of the check 64shows that the preserved area is the preservation area A 101, thereplacement with the preservation area A at step 65 is not executed. Atstep 66 for restoring the contents of the display memory, the contentsof the display memory in the preservation area A 101 are read out andwritten into the display memory 4. At step 67 for restoring the contentsof the I/O registers in the peripheral devices, values in the I/Oregisters of the peripheral devices including the display controller 3and the keyboard controller 13 are read out from the preservation area A101 and written into the I/O registers of the display controller 3, thekeyboard controller 13 and so on, respectively. Further, at step 68 forrestoring the contents of the CPU registers, the contents of theregisters in the CPU 1 preserved in the preservation area A 101 arewritten into the respective registers in the CPU 1. As a result of theabove described processing, a work state specified by the user can bereproduced within one or a plurality of work states previouslyinterrupted by a power-off executed by the interrupt. Incidentally, partof preserved data for the work states may be stored in the SRAM 21 notin the main memory 2.

While the above embodiment shows an example where the user canarbitrarily specify a preserved work name, a user's ID may be used asthe preserved work name. The use of the user's ID can prevent a workstate preserved by a particular user from being reproduced by anotheruser who turns on the information processing apparatus, thereby makingit possible to realize a resume function that has excellent securityfeatures. Also, the user's ID may be combined with a name arbitrarilyspecified by the user such that each user is allowed to preserve andreproduce a plurality of work states. This alternative can be achievedby preserving the user's ID in place of a preserved work name togetherwith a work state or preserving a work state in a preservation areacorresponding to the user's ID. In the latter case, the informationprocessing apparatus requires the user to input the user's ID when thepower source is turned on. Then, it is checked whether or not a workstate corresponding to the inputted user's ID exists in the memory. Ifthe check result shows that a work state corresponding to the inputuser's ID exists, the user is further requested to input a preservedwork name, followed by the reproduction of the work state from apreservation area specified by the user in a similar manner. Thus, workstates of a plurality of users can be simultaneously preserved, and whenan associated user turns on the power source, his or her own work statecan be reproduced without causing any security problems.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 4 and 6. FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplaryconfiguration of an information processing apparatus according to thesecond embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the firstembodiment shown in FIG. 2 in that a magnetic disk drive 16 a and a diskcontroller 15 for controlling the magnetic disk drive 16 a are providedand the power supply line 20 for back up and the SRAM 21 are removed. Inthis embodiment, work states which are preserved in the main memory 2 inthe first embodiment are preserved in the magnetic disk drive 16 a.

In this event, the contents of the main memory 2 are also saved in themagnetic disk drive 16 a. Specifically, data in respective preservationareas in the main memory 2 in the first embodiment are preserved in themagnetic disk drive 16 a as a work state preservation file 200. FIG. 5illustrates an example of a format of the work state preservation file200. The work state preservation file 200 may be designated a file namewhich includes a preserved work name specified by the user or a user'sID such that a plurality of work states of one or plural users can bepreserved and reproduced when an associated user turns on the powersource without causing any security problem. Additionally, in the secondembodiment, since work states are preserved in the magnetic disk drive16 a which does not require a back-up operation by a battery, the mainmemory 2 need not be backed up by a battery, and many work states can bepreserved over a long term.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be describedbelow with reference to FIG. 6. A network shown in FIG. 6 comprises afirst information processing apparatus 17 a which the user operatesusing application software and so on; a second information processingapparatus 17 b provided with a magnetic disk drive 16 b; and a thirdinformation processing apparatus 17 c having the same architecture asthe first information processing apparatus 17 a. The magnetic disk drive16 b can be accessed from the first information processing apparatus 17a and the third information processing apparatus 17 c through networkadapters 18 a, 18 b and 18 c, and a network transmission line 19.

The third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that a workstate preservation file 200 of the first information processingapparatus 17 a is not stored in an internal storage unit of theinformation processing apparatus 17 a but in the second informationprocessing apparatus 17 b connected thereto through the network. Thethird embodiment features that the first information processingapparatus 17 a does not necessarily require a battery back-up functionfor the main memory 2 to preserve work states and the magnetic diskdrive 16 a which need not be backed up by a battery. Also, since it isnot necessary to turn off the second information processing apparatus 17b in association with the first information processing apparatus 17 a, amain memory or the like in the second information processing apparatus17 b may be used in place of the magnetic disk drive 16 b if the secondinformation processing apparatus 17 b is not turned off.

In this case, when the first information processing apparatus 17 a isturned off, a work state of the first information processing apparatusupon turning off the power source is transferred to the secondinformation processing apparatus 17 b connected thereto through thenetwork. The second information processing apparatus 17 b, responsive tothis, stores and preserves the transferred work state in the main memorythereof or in the magnetic disk drive 16 b. In this manner, the firstinformation processing apparatus 17 a can realize the resume functionwithout its main memory being backed up by a battery. In addition, awork state preserved in the second information processing apparatus 17 bmay be reproduced by the third information processing apparatus 17 c.Therefore, a work state may be preserved by the first informationprocessing apparatus 17 a and reproduced from the third informationprocessing apparatus.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be describedbelow with reference to FIG. 7. The fourth embodiment provides aninterrupt processing program 50 a by adding steps 701, 702, 703, 704 and705 as shown in FIG. 7 to the interrupt processing program explained inconnection with FIG. 3 in the first embodiment in order to solve aproblem that a network connection state upon preserving a work statecannot be correctly reproduced when the work state is to be reproduced.First, at step 701, it is checked whether an associated informationprocessing apparatus is connected to a network. If the informationprocessing apparatus is not connected to the network, the programproceeds to the step 51 for preserving the contents of the CPU registersto subsequently preserve a work state and turn off the power source inthe completely same manner as the first embodiment. On the other hand,if the information processing apparatus in question is connected to thenetwork, it is checked at step 702 whether the interrupt processingprogram 50 a has been started by a timer interrupt due to the fact thatno input had been given from a keyboard 12 for a predetermined amount oftime. If the timer interrupt has caused the interrupt processing program50 a to start, the interrupt processing program 50 a is terminatedwithout executing subsequent steps. If the timer interrupt is not thecause, the user is informed at step 703 that a network connection statecannot be reproduced, and then at step 704 the user is asked whether ornot the work state should be preserved. An example of a displayed screenfor this inquiry is shown in FIG. 15. If the user answers that the workstate will not be preserved, the user is again asked at step 705 whetheror not the power source is turned off. If the user answers that thepower source will be turned off, power-off processing at step 55 isexecuted, and otherwise the interrupt processing program 50 a isterminated without performing other processing. If the user answers atstep 704 that the work state should be preserved, the steps 51 to 55 areexecuted to perform the preservation of the work state and the power-offprocessing in the completely same way as the first embodiment.

As described above, when the information processing apparatus isconnected to the network, a work state is not preserved by the timer soas to prevent the preservation operation from being automaticallyexecuted for a network connection state which is rendered unreproducabledue to the user who has interrupted the operation of the informationprocessing apparatus for a while. Further, when the user is going tomanually execute the work state preservation, the user is informed thatthe network connection state cannot be reproduced, whereby the user isled to perform appropriate processing.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIG. 10. The configuration of a system according to thefifth embodiment shown in FIG. 10 comprises a first informationprocessing apparatus 17 a which the user operates using applicationsoftware and so on; a second information processing apparatus 17 bprovided with a magnetic disk drive 16 b for acting as a server; a thirdinformation processing apparatus 17 c having the same architecture asthat of the first information processing apparatus 17 a; and a fourthinformation processing apparatus 17 d having an architecture differentfrom that of the first information processing apparatus 17 a. Themagnetic disk drive 16 b is accessible from the first, third and fourthinformation processing apparatus 17 a, 17 c and 17 d through networkadapters 18 a, 18 b, 18 c and 18 d and a network transmission line 19.The hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus ofthe fifth embodiment is assumed to be the same as that of the firstembodiment shown in FIG. 2. Now, the operation of the system will beexplained in connection with preservation and reproduction of a workstate in this order.

A power supply controller 9 of the information processing apparatus 17 amonitors a state of a power supply switch 10 for the resume function, astate of a battery 7 and a keyboard controller 13. If the power supplycontroller 9 detects, in power-on state, that a user depresses the powersupply switch 10 for resume function, that the battery 7 has been usedup, or that no input has been provided from a keyboard 12 for apredetermined time period, the power supply controller 9 informs a CPU 1of the occurrence of the state as mentioned above through an interruptsignal line 22. The CPU 1, upon detecting the interrupt signal, executesan interrupt processing program 50 b which has previously been writtenin a RON 6. The processing executed by the interrupt processing program50 b will be explained below with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 8and a memory map of FIG. 11. First, at step 801, the contents ofregisters in the CPU 1 are stored in a CPU register table 1010. The CPUregister table 1010 is composed of data sets each consisting of aregister number, a size indicative of a number of bytes of a relatedregister, and CPU register data indicative of the contents of theregister, which are repeated by a number equal to the number of theregisters, as shown in FIG. 11. Stored in a CPU register table address1004 is the start address of the CPU register table address 1010.

Next, at step 802, the I/O registers are read out, and an I/O registertable 1011 and an I/O register table address 1005 shown in FIG. 11 arestored in the main memory 2. The I/O register table 1011 is composed ofdata sets each consisting of an I/O address, a size indicative of anumber of bytes of the register, and I/O register data indicative of thecontents of the register, which are repeated by a number equal to thenumber of the registers. Stored in the I/O register table address 1005is the start address of the I/O register table address 1011.

Next, the contents of the display memory 4 are read out and stored in adisplay memory data table 1012 at step 803. The start address of thedisplay memory data table 1012 is stored in a display memory tableaddress 1006.

At step 804, an open file information table 1013 is created. The openfile refers to a file being used by the OS for the operation of the OSitself or by a request from application software. The state of an openfile is one of read-only, write-only and read/write states. The openfile information table 1013 created herein is such one that includesinformation sets each consisting of the name of an opened file, a stateof the opened file and the number of bytes of the file name and a flagindicative of the state, which are repeated by a number equal to thenumber of opened files. The start address of the open file informationtable 1013 is stored in an open file information table address 1007.

Next, it is checked at step 805 whether the first information processingapparatus 17 a in which this program is being executed is physically andlogically connected to the second information processing apparatus 17 bacting as a server through the network. If the check result shows thatthe first information processing apparatus 17 a is connected to thesecond information processing apparatus 17 b, subsequent steps 806, 807are executed, and otherwise step 815 is executed. At step 806, an openedserver file is closed referring to the open file information table 1013created at step 804, and at step 807 a logical name of the secondinformation processing apparatus 17 b in the network is stored in themain memory 2 as a connected server name 1014 as shown in FIG. 11. Atthis time, the stored address of the connected server name 1014 in themain memory 2 is stored in the main memory 2 as a connected server nameaddress 1008. On the other hand, at step 815, the connected server nameaddress 1008 is set to “0” which indicates that the first informationprocessing apparatus 17 a is not connected to the server.

At step 808, the user is asked whether a work state is preserved in afile or in the main memory backed up by a battery. If the user selectsthe preservation of the work state in a file, the user is prompted toinput the name of a file in which the work state is to be preserved atstep 809. FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a screen on which theInquiries of the steps 808, 809 are displayed. Next, a work statepreservation file 200 a designated by the input file name is created atstep 810. At this time, in addition to data contents 203 in the mainmemory 2 shown in FIG. 11, a preserved machine type code 201 and apreservation executed date 202 are also stored in the work statepreservation file 200 a. The structure of the work state preservationfile 200 a is illustrated in FIG. 12. Turning back to the flow chart ofFIG. 8, a resume flag register provided in the power supply controller 9is set to a value indicating that the work state is not preserved, whenit is to be preserved in the file (step 811). Conversely, when the workstate is not to be preserved in the file, the resume flag register isset to a value indicating that the work state has been preserved (step812). Afterward, log-out is executed to disconnect the informationprocessing apparatus 17 a from the network at step 813, and power-offprocessing is performed at step 814, followed by the termination of theinterrupt processing program 50 b for preserving a work state.

Next, explanation will be given of the operation when a work state isreproduced. When the power supply controller 9 detects that the user hasagain depressed the power supply switch 10 for the resume function inpower-off state, the power supply controller 9 starts supplying alldevices with electric power. This enables the CPU 1 to first execute areset program 60 b stored in the ROM 6. FIG. 9 illustrates a flow chartof the reset program 60 b. The reset program first reads out the valueset in the resume flag register in the power supply controller 9 at step901 to check whether a work state was stored in the main memory 2 uponturning off the power source. If the check result shows that a workstate was preserved in the main memory 2, the control is transferred tostep 912. Otherwise, step 902 is executed. At step 902, the user isasked whether or not the work state is to be reproduced from the file.If the user answers that the work state will not be reproduced from thefile, the control is transferred to step 900 for initial setting wherethe information processing apparatus is initialized and the OS isstarted. If the user answers at step 902 that the work state will bereproduced from the file, the user is prompted to input the name of thework state preservation file 200 a which is to be used. An example of adisplayed screen at this time is shown in FIG. 16. Next, at step 904,the input name of the work state preservation file 200 a is analyzed tocheck whether this is a file on the information processing apparatus 17b which is used as a server. If the check result shows that it is not afile on the information processing apparatus 17 b, the control istransferred to step 908. Conversely, if that file is a file on theinformation processing apparatus 17 b, the network adapter 18 a isinitialized at step 905, the user is prompted to input the user name anda password at step 906, and log-in is executed to the informationprocessing apparatus 17 b using the user name and the password at step907 to achieve a logical connection. An example of a display on thescreen at step 906 is shown in FIG. 17. Next, the work statepreservation file 200 a is referenced at step 908 to read out thepreserved machine type code 201 stored when the work state waspreserved. Then, it is checked at step 909 whether or not the preservedmachine type code 201 coincides with the machine type code of theinformation processing apparatus which is executing this program. As hasbeen already described, in this embodiment, while the informationprocessing apparatus 17 a and the information processing apparatus 17 bhave the same architecture and the same machine type code, theinformation processing apparatus 17 d has a different architecture and adifferent machine type code from the information processing apparatus 17a, 17 b. Therefore, assuming that a work state was preserved on theinformation processing apparatus 17 a, if this work is to be reproducedon the information processing apparatus 17 a or 17 c, the determinationat step 909 indicates “coincidence.” On the other hand, if the workstate is reproduced on the information processing apparatus 17 d, thedetermination is “dissidence.” If “dissidence” is indicated by the checkresult, the user is informed of the difference in machine type as wellas inquired whether or not another work state preservation file 200 a isused at step 910. A screen for this inquiry is shown in FIG. 18. If theuser answers that another work state preservation file 200 a is used,the returns to step 903. If the user answers that file is used, thecontrol is transferred to the initialization step 900 for initializingthe information processing apparatus and starting the OS withoutperforming the work state reproducing processing. If “coincidence” isindicated by the determination result at step 909, the main memorycontents 203 in the work state preservation file 200 a are read out andstored in the main memory 2. As a result, the contents of the mainmemory 2 shown in FIG. 11 are reproduced. Next, at step 912, thecontents of the connected server name address 1008 are checked, and if“0” is set therein, it is determined that the information processingapparatus 17 b was not connected to the network when the work state waspreserved, thus transferring the control to step 918. If the contents ofthe connected server name address 1008 is not “0,” it is determined thatthe information processing apparatus 17 b was connected to the network,and the initialization of the network adapter 18 a is executed at step913. Next, whether the user name was input is checked at step 914. Ifthe user name was not input, the user is prompted to input the user nameand a password at step 915, and log-on to the information processingapparatus 17 b is executed at step 916 using the input user name and thepassword. Next, the open file information table 1013 on the main memory2 is referenced at step 917. If the table contains a file on theinformation processing apparatus 17 b used as a server, an open state ofthat file is reproduced. At step 918, the latest modified date of thefile registered in the open file information table 1013 is checked andcompared with the preserved date 202 of the work state preservation file200 a. If the latest modified date is later than the preserved date 202,there is a possibility that the contents of the file were modified afterthe work state had been preserved. Therefore, the file cannot be used asit is so that a message as shown in FIG. 19 is displayed to draw theuser's attention. Next, the contents of the display memory data table1012 are stored in the display memory 4 at step 919, and the I/Oregister table 1011 is referenced at step 920, thereby reproducing thecontents of the respective I/O registers. Finally, at step 921, the CPUregister table 1010 is referenced to reproduce the contents of therespective registers in the CPU 1. Upon termination of the step 921,the˜ reproduction of the work state is completed.

In the fifth embodiment, when the information processing apparatus hasbeen connected to the network upon preserving a work state, theconnection to the network and log-in operation are automaticallyperformed upon reproducing the work state, thereby making it possible toreproduce the work state including the connection state to the network.Also, even when a work state is preserved while a file on anotherinformation processing apparatus used as a server is open, this openstate can also be reproduced upon reproducing the work state, therebycorrectly reproducing the work state. Further, when an open state of afile is to be reproduced, the work state preserved date is compared withthe latest modified date of the file, and if the latest modified date islater, the user is informed that the contents of the file have beenmodified after the work state was preserved, whereby the user can effectnecessary proceedings to the file. Also, the machine type code 201 of aninformation processing apparatus on which a work state was preserved isstored in the work state preservation file 200 a and is compared, uponreproducing the work state, with the machine type code of an informationprocessing apparatus on which the work state is to be reproduced. Ifthese two codes are different, the reproduction of the work state iscancelled, thereby preventing troubles such as run-away of a programwhich may possibly occur when the work state is reproduced on aninformation processing apparatus of a different type. Since the user isallowed to select whether the work state is preserved in the main memorybacked up by a battery or in the work state preservation file 200 a, anoptimal work state preserving method can be selected according to aparticular situation, such as whether or not the information processingapparatus is connected to the network, whether high speed preservationand reproduction are enabled only for a single set of work state by themain memory 2 backed up by a battery, and so on.

Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be describedbelow with reference to FIG. 13. A work state preservation file 200 b ofFIG. 13 shows another example of the work state preservation file 200 ain the fifth embodiment. While the contents of the main memory 2 arestored as they are as the contents 203 of the main memory in the fifthembodiment, contents of memory blocks being used in the main memory 2are solely stored as contents 203 b of the main memory in the sixthembodiment. Specifically, based on memory using situation data proposedby the OS, the start address, block size and contents of the main memoryare stored for every memory block in use. This removes the necessity ofstoring data in unused portions of the main memory, thereby reducing thefile size of the work state preservation file 200 b, decreasing theamount of the magnetic disk 16 a or 16 b used for storing the work statepreservation file 200 b, and shortening a time necessary forpreservation and reproduction. For storing the contents of the mainmemory 2 into the work state preservation file 203 b, a data compressalgorithm or the like may be used to reduce the file size of the workstate preservation file 203 b other than the above-stated method whichimitatively stores memory blocks in use.

Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be describedbelow. In this embodiment, the interrupt program for preserving a workstate and the reset program for reproducing a work state, which arestored in the ROM 6 in the foregoing embodiments, are stored in astorage unit as program files which can be executed as commands from theOS. FIG. 20 illustrates a file directory of a magnetic disk 16 aemployed in an information processing apparatus 17 a of the seventhembodiment. Stored in the file directory are two kinds of OS's: OSa andOSb. OSa and OSb are different in command program type so that a commonprogram file cannot be used. Commands and data for the respective OS'sare stored under the directories of commands 502 a, 502 b and thedirectories of data 503 a, 503 b, respectively. A work statereproduction program and a work state preservation program for OSa arestored in the directory of the command 502 a as files named “work statereproduction a” 504 a and “work state preservation a” 505 a,respectively. A work state reproduction program and a work statepreservation program for OSb are stored in the directory of the command502 b as files named “work state reproduction b” 504 b and “work statepreservation b” 505 b, respectively. Processing executed by the workstate preservation a 505 a and the work state preservation b 505 b maybe the same as the processing procedures of the foregoing interruptprograms 50, 50 a, 50 b and so on. Likewise, processing executed by thework state reproduction a 504 a and the work state reproduction b 504 bmay be the same as the processing procedures of the foregoing resetprograms 60, 60 b and so on. When the user desires to preserve/reproducea work state, work state preservation/reproduction programs inaccordance with the kind of an OS in use are executed as commands. FIG.21 illustrates an example of a screen in which another window is openedto issue a command for preserving a work state while a graph is beingcreated in a window under the control of OSa.

According to the seventh embodiment, since the work state preservationand reproduction programs can be executed as command programs,information processing apparatus having no power supply mechanism or RONprograms for the resume function can also realize the resume function.Since work state preservation and reproduction programs can be selectedin accordance with the kind of a used OS, the preservation andreproduction of a work state can be easily achieved even when aplurality of OS's are used.

While the foregoing embodiments show examples where a magnetic diskdrive is employed as a storage unit which need not be backed up by abattery, an optical disk drive or the like may be replaced therewith aslong as it does not require battery back-up. The display unit may be aCRT or the like other than the liquid crystal display 5. Further, a workstate may be saved and

reproduced not only when the power source is turned off and again turnedon, but also at an arbitrary timing at which the user desires tointerrupt or resume a work.

Next, an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 22-27.

FIG. 23 illustrates the configuration of an information processingsystem employing information processing apparatus according to oneembodiment of the present invention. In this information processingsystem, an information processing apparatus 17 a is permitted to readfrom and write into a disk drive 16 b connected to an informationprocessing apparatus 17 b, as if it were a disk unit connected thereto,by establishing a logical connection with the information processingapparatus 17 b through a network 19. While the logical connection ismaintained between the information processing apparatus 17 a and 17 b,the information processing apparatus 17 b periodically transmits aconnection acknowledgement request frame to the information processingapparatus 17 a at appropriate time intervals, and the informationprocessing apparatus 17 a returns a connection acknowledgement responseframe responsive to the connection acknowledgement request frame,thereby maintaining the logical connection therebetween. Alternatively,the information processing apparatus 17 a periodically transmits aconnection acknowledgement notice frame to the information processingapparatus 17 b at appropriate time intervals to maintain the logicalconnection. If the connection acknowledgement response frame is notreturned, or if the connection acknowledgement notice frame is nottransmitted, the information processing apparatus 17 b assumes that theinformation processing apparatus 17 a is in a failure state and releasesthe logical connection.

FIG. 22 illustrates the configuration of an information processingapparatus 17 a implementing the eighth embodiment of the presentinvention. In the drawing, reference numeral 23 designates a powersupply control signal line from a network controller 18 to a powersupply controller 9. FIG. 24 illustrates in greater detail theconfiguration of the power supply controller 9. The power supplycontroller 9 comprises a switch 91 for turning on and off electric powersupplied to respective sections of the controller 9; a power supplyswitch controller 92 for controlling the switch 91; a status register 93for noticing a status of the power supply controller 9 to a CPU 1; acommand register 94 for the CPU 1 to instruct the power supplycontroller 9 of a certain operation; a timer 95 used by the power supplyswitch controller 9 for timing; and a power supply line 96 for supplyingelectric power to the respective sections. In the information processingapparatus thus constructed, the resume function according to the presentinvention operates in the following manner.

First, a procedure of the information processing apparatus 17 a inoperation for preserving a work state at a certain time and shutting offthe power supply will be explained with reference to a sequence diagramof FIG. 25. When the power supply controller 9 detects, 20 while theinformation processing apparatus 17 a is operating, that the powersupply switch 10 for resume function is depressed, that the voltage ofthe battery 7 has decreased below a predetermined value, or that no keyinput has been provided through the keyboard 12 for a predeterminedamount of time, the power supply switch controller 92 generates aninterrupt signal to the CPU 1 through the interrupt signal line 22 forrequesting the CPU 1 to start necessary processing for turning of f apower source (step 101). The CPU 1, upon receiving the interrupt, startswork state preservation processing (step 102). A method of preserving awork state may be a method of preserving the work state including thecontents of the display memory 4 and so on such that the work state isstored in the RAM 2 composed of RAM devices which can be backed up bythe battery 7; a method of preserving the work state in the disk drive16 a as a file; a method of preserving the work state as a file in thedisk drive 16 b connected to the information processing apparatus 17 bthrough the network 19; and so on. The CPU 1, upon completing thepreservation of the work state, writes a particular command indicativeof the completion of the work state preservation in the command register94 to inform the power supply switch controller 92 of the completion ofthe work state preservation processing (step 103). The power supplyswitch controller 92, when informed of the completion of the work statepreservation processing, operates the switch 91 to stop supplyingelectric power to the respective sections of the information processingapparatus 17 a except for the network controller 18, and informs thenetwork controller 18 of the power-off state (step 104). When thenetwork controller 18 receives a frame, it does not immediately notifythe CPU 1 but rather it notifies the power supply controller 9. By theforegoing processing, the information processing apparatus 17 apreserves the work state and falls into power-off state.

Next explained is a procedure for responding to a connectionacknowledgement request frame transmitted from the informationprocessing apparatus 17 b when the information processing apparatus 17 ahas preserved a work state and remains in power-off state.

Referring to a sequence diagram of FIG. 26, if a connectionacknowledgement request frame is transmitted from the informationprocessing apparatus 17 b while the information processing apparatus 17a remains in the power-off state, the network controller 18 reserves aframe reception interrupt to the CPU 1 and issues a power-on request tothe power supply controller 9 through the power supply control signalline 23 (step 111). The power-on request is received by the power supplyswitch controller 92 in the power supply controller 9 which sets in thestatus register 93 a value indicating that this power-on requires thereproduction of the work state and operates the switch 91 to supplyelectric power onto the power supply line 96 (step 112). It should benoted however that since this is the second temporary power-on requestedby the network controller 18, electric power is not supplied up to thedisplay unit 5. The CPU 1, supplied with electric power, starts resetprocessing using the program stored in the ROM 6. The CPU 1, after thepower-on, first reads the contents of the status register 93 torecognize the necessity of the reproduction of the work state and startsthe work state reproduction processing (step 113). Upon completing thereproduction of the work state, the CPU informs the power supplycontroller 9 of the completion of the work state reproduction by writinga particular command into the command register 94 and goes on withprocessing from the reproduced work state at the power-off time (step114). The power supply controller 9, when informed of the completion ofthe work state reproduction processing, informs the network controller18 of the same, and starts the timer 95 (step 115). The networkcontroller 18, when informed of the completion of the work statereproduction processing, now issues the reserved frame receptioninterrupt to the CPU 1 (step 116). Then, the CPU 1, upon receiving theframe reception interrupt, starts protocol processing. In thisprocessing, since the received frame is a connection acknowledgementrequest frame from the information processing apparatus 17 b, the CPU 1requests the network controller 18 to transmit a connectionacknowledgement response frame (step 117) The frame transmission requestfrom the CPU 1 causes the network controller 18 to transmit theconnection acknowledgement request frame to the information processingapparatus 17 b (step 118). Afterward, when the timer 95 started at step115 expires, the power supply switch controller 92 is so notified andresponsively generates an interrupt to the CPU 1 through the interruptsignal line 22 for requesting the CPU 1 to start necessary processingfor power-off (step 119). The CPU 1, upon receiving the interrupt, againstarts the processing for preserving a work state (step 120). When thework state preservation processing is completed, the CPU 1 notifies thepower supply controller 9 of the completion of the work statepreservation by writing a particular command into the command register94 (step 121). This notification is received by the power supply switchcontroller 92 in the power supply controller 9 which in turn operatesthe switch 91 to stop supplying electric power to the respectivesections of the information processing apparatus 17 a and informs thenetwork controller 18 of the second power-off state of the informationprocessing apparatus 17 a (step 122). The foregoing processing permitsthe information processing apparatus 17 a, even in power-off state, torespond to the connection acknowledgement request frame transmitted fromthe information processing apparatus 17 b by temporarily turning on thepower source upon receiving the frame, thereby making it possible tomaintain the logical connection with the information processingapparatus 17 b.

Finally explained is a procedure of second turn-on of the power sourceby request from the user when the information processing apparatus 17 apreserved a work state and remains in power-off state.

Referring to a sequence diagram of FIG. 27, 25 when the power supplyswitch 10 for resume function is depressed in power-off state, the powersupply switch controller 9 sets in the status register 93 a valueindicating that this power-on requires reproduction of the work state,and operates the switch 91 to start supplying electric power onto thepower supply line 96 (step 131). Since this second power-on was requiredby the user, all of the sections including the display unit 5 of theinformation processing apparatus 17 a are supplied with electric power.The CPU 1, supplied with electric power, starts the reset processingusing the program stored in the ROM 6. After the power-on, the CPU 1first reads the contents of the status register 93 to recognize thenecessity of work state reproduction and starts the work statereproduction processing (step 32). Upon completing the reproduction ofthe work state, the CPU 1 informs the power supply controller 9 of thecompletion of the work state reproduction by writing a particularcommand into the command register 94, and goes on with the processingfrom the reproduced work state at the power-off time (step 133). Thepower supply controller 9, when informed of the completion of the workstate reproduction processing, notifies this to the network controller18 (step 134). Since this is a second power-on requested by the user,the timer 95 is not started. The notification causes the networkcontroller 18 to immediately notify the CPU 1 with an interrupt when itreceives a frame at a later time. The foregoing processing permits theuser to reproduce the work state when the power source was turned offand proceeds to the work from that state.

Next, a ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 28 and 29.

FIG. 28 illustrates the configuration of an information processingapparatus 17 a according to the ninth embodiment of the presentinvention. In the drawing, reference numeral 24 designates a timer fordetecting the lapse of a specified time.

In the operations of the resume function according to this embodiment, aprocedure of the information processing apparatus 17 a for preserving awork state and falling into the power-off state and a procedure of againturning on the power source by request of the user are identical tothose represented by the sequence diagrams shown in FIGS. 25 and 27,respectively, provided the network controller 18 is replaced with thetimer 24. When informed of the power-off state, the timer 24 does notimmediately notify the lapse of a specified time to the: CPU 1 but tothe power supply controller 9, whereas, when informed of release of thepower-off state, the timer 24 returns to immediately notify the lapse ofthe specified time to the CPU 1.

Explained herein is a procedure of transmitting a connectionacknowledgement notice frame from the information processing apparatus17 a to the information processing apparatus 17 b when the timer detectsthe lapse of a specified time in power-off state with reference to asequence diagram of FIG. 29.

When the timer 24 detects the lapse of the specified time with theinformation processing apparatus 17 a being in the power-off state, thetimer 24 issues a power-on request to the power supply controller 9through the power supply control signal line 23 and reserves atime-out-interrupt to the CPU 1 (step 141). This power-on request isreceived by the power supply switch controller 92 in the power supplycontroller 9 which sets in the status register 93 a value indicative ofa power-on requiring the reproduction of the work state and operates theswitch 91 to start supplying electric power onto the power supply line96 (step 142). However, since this is a temporary power-on requested bythe timer 24, the display unit 5 is not supplied with electric power.The CPU 1, supplied with electric power, starts the reset processingwith the program stored in the ROM 6. After the power-on, the CPU firstreads the contents of the status register 93 to recognize the necessityof work state reproduction and starts the work state reproductionprocessing (step 143). When the reproduction of the work state iscompleted, the CPU 1 informs the power supply controller 9 of thecompletion of the work state reproduction by writing a particularcommand into the command register 94 and goes on with the processingfrom the reproduced work state at the power-off time (step 144). Thepower supply controller 9, when informed of the completion of the workstate preservation processing, notifies this to the timer 24 and startsthe timer 95 (step 145). The timer 24, notified of the completion of thework sate reproduction processing, issues the reserved time-outinterrupt to the CPU 1 at this time (step 146). The CPU 1, uponreceiving the time-out interrupt, requests the network controller 18 totransmit a connection acknowledgement notice frame (step 147). Thenetwork controller 18, responsive to the frame transmission request,transmits the connection acknowledgement notice frame to the informationprocessing apparatus 17 b (step 147). Afterward, when the timer 95started at step 145 expires, this time-out is notified to the powersupply switch controller 92 which generates an interrupt to the CPU 1through the interrupt signal line 22 for requesting the CPU 1 to startprocessing necessary to turn off the power source (step 148). The CPU 1,upon receiving the interrupt, again starts the work state preservationprocessing (step 149). When the work state preservation processing iscompleted, the CPU 1 notifies the power supply controller 9 of thecompletion of the work state preservation by writing a particularcommand into the command register 94 (step 150). This notification isreceived by the power switch controller 92 in the power supplycontroller 9 which operates the switch 91 to stop supplying electricpower to the respective sections of the information processing Apparatus17 a and notifies the second power-off state to the timer 24 (step 151).The foregoing processing permits the information processing apparatus 17a, even in power-off state, to transmit the connection acknowledgementnotice frame by again turning on the power source for a temporary timeperiod with a timer interrupt, thereby making it possible to maintainthe logical connection with the information processing apparatus 17 b.

Next, a tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIG. 30.

FIG. 30 is a sequence diagram illustrating the processing of the tenthembodiment of the present invention. This sequence diagram representsprocessing performed by the information processing apparatus 17 a whenreceiving a frame from the information processing apparatus 17 bincluding a message to be displayed to the user when the informationprocessing apparatus 17 a remains in power-off state while maintainingthe logical connection with the information processing apparatus 17 b.

When the network controller 18 receives a frame including a message tobe displayed to the user from the information processing apparatus 17 b,the network controller 18, the power supply controller 9 and the CPU 1respectively perform a series of processing from step 161 to step 166.This processing is identical to the processing from step 111 to step 116shown in the sequence diagram of FIG. 26. The CPU 1, upon receiving aframe reception interrupt from the network controller 18, startsprotocol processing for that frame (step 167). In this processing, whenthe CPU 1 knows that the frame includes a message to be displayed to theuser, the CPU 1 writes a particular command into the command register 94to notify the power supply controller 9 that second power-off is notnecessary (step 168), and displays the message on the display unit 5through the display controller 3 (step 169). The power supply switchcontroller 92 in the power supply controller 9, when receiving thisnotification, stops the timer 95 started at step 165 and operates theswitch 91 to start supplying electric power to the display unit 5 whichwas not supplied with electric power at step 162 (step 170). Theforegoing processing permits the information processing apparatus 17 ato remain in power-of state while maintaining the logical connectionwith the information processing apparatus 17 b to display a message tobe displayed to the user by automatically turning on again the powersource, when receiving such a message. Incidentally, while the tenthembodiment unconditionally displays any received message, the user maybe asked before displaying a message at step 169 whether or not themessage should be displayed such that the message is displayed only whenthe user has so instructs. In this case, if no instruction is givenwithin a predetermined time period, that is, if the user is not presentin front of the information processing apparatus 17 a, the message isnot displayed, the work state is again preserved, and the power supplycontroller 9 is instructed to turn off the power source.

1. A network connectable equipment comprising: a storage unit; aprocessing unit; a communication module to be connected to a network sothat a frame can be transferred between said network connectableequipment and another equipment connected to said network; and a powersupply module for supplying electric power within said networkconnectable equipment, the electric power being supplied to saidcommunication module even if said network connectable equipment stays ina power-saving state, wherein said communication module receives a frametransmitted from another equipment connected to said network,discriminates whether or not said received frame is destined to saidnetwork connectable equipment, and transmits a notice of the frame tosaid processing unit if said received frame is destined to said networkconnectable equipment and said network connectable equipment does notstay in the power-saving state or transmits a power-on request to saidpower supply module if said received frame is destined to said networkconnectable equipment and said network connectable equipment stays inthe power-saving state, and wherein said power supply module supplieselectric power within the network connectable equipment on said power-onrequest.
 2. The network connectable equipment in claim 1, wherein theframe transmitted from another equipment includes data for identifying adestination of the frame and a release from the power-saving state. 3.The network connectable equipment in claim 1, wherein said power supplymodule is a unity module.
 4. The network connectable equipment in claim1, wherein if the frame is destined to said network connectableequipment and said network connectable equipment stays in thepower-saving state, said communication module transmits said power-onrequest to said power supply module without immediately transmitting thenotice of the frame to said processing unit.
 5. The network connectableequipment in claim 4, wherein the notice of the frame to said processingunit is a signal of interrupting the receipt of the frame.
 6. Thenetwork connectable equipment in claim 1, wherein if the networkconnectable equipment stays in the power-saving state, said power supplymodule stops supplying electric power to said processing unit and startssupplying electric power to said processing unit on said power-onrequest.
 7. The network connectable equipment in claim 1, wherein saidcommunication module changes a process to be executed for saidprocessing unit based on the frame, depending upon whether or not thenetwork connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state.
 8. Thenetwork connectable equipment in claim 1, wherein said communicationmodule transmits the notice of the frame to said processing unit throughan interrupt signal line if said network connectable equipment does notstay in the power-saving state or said communication module saves thenotice of the frame for said processing unit and transmits said power-onrequest to said power supply module if said network connectableequipment stays in the power-saving state.
 9. The network connectableequipment in claim 8, wherein said communication module saves the noticeof the frame for said processing unit and transmits said power-onrequest to said power supply module if said network connectableequipment stays in the power-saving state, and then if saidcommunication module receives a notice from said power supply module,then said communication module transmits the notice of the frame to saidprocessing unit through said interrupt signal line.
 10. The networkconnectable equipment according to claim 1, wherein said power supplymodule comprises: a circuit for controlling whether electric power is tobe supplied within said network connectable equipment.
 11. The networkconnectable equipment in claim 1, wherein said communication moduletransmits a response frame to another equipment connected to the networkafter supplying electric power within said network connectableequipment.
 12. The network connectable equipment in claim 11, whereinsaid communication module transmits the response frame to said anotherequipment connected to said network in response to a request sent fromsaid processing unit after supplying electric power within said networkconnectable equipment.
 13. An equipment for outputting contents ofdisplay to a display unit, comprising: a storage unit; a processingunit; a circuit for outputting the contents of display to said displayunit; a communication module for receiving a request sent from anotherequipment through a communication medium; and a power supply module thatis capable of supplying electric power within said network connectableequipment for outputting contents of display, the electric power beingsupplied to said communication module even if said outputting equipmentstays in a power-saving state, wherein said communication modulereceives a request transmitted from said another equipment,discriminates whether or not said received request is destined to saidnetwork connectable equipment for outputting contents of display, andtransmits a notice of the frame to said processing unit if said requestis destined to said network connectable equipment and said networkconnectable equipment does not stay in the power-saving state ortransmits a power-supply request to said power supply module if saidrequest is destined to said network connectable equipment and saidnetwork connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state, andwherein said power supply module supplies electric power within saidnetwork connectable equipment on said power-on request.
 14. Theequipment for outputting contents of display to a display unit in claim13, wherein said processing unit reads information pre-stored in saidstorage unit after supplying electric power within said networkconnectable equipment and displays said information on said displayunit.
 15. The equipment for outputting contents of display to a displayunit in claim 13, wherein the frame transmitted from another equipmentincludes data for identifying a destination of the frame and a releasefrom the power-saving state.
 16. The equipment for outputting contentsof display to a display unit in claim 13, wherein said power supplymodule is a unity module.
 17. The equipment for outputting contents ofdisplay to a display unit in claim 13, wherein if the frame is destinedto said network connectable equipment and said network connectableequipment stays in the power-saving state, said communication moduletransmits said power-on request to said power supply module withoutimmediately transmitting the notice of the frame to said processingunit.
 18. The equipment for outputting contents of display to a displayunit in claim 17, wherein the notice of the frame to said processingunit is a signal of interrupting the receipt of the frame.
 19. Theequipment for outputting contents of display to a display unit in claim13, wherein if the network connectable equipment stays in thepower-saving state, said power supply module stops supplying electricpower to said processing unit and starts supplying electric power tosaid processing unit on said power-on request.
 20. The equipment foroutputting contents of display to a display unit in claim 13, whereinsaid communication module changes a process to be executed for saidprocessing unit based on the frame, depending upon whether or not thenetwork connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state.
 21. Anetwork connectable equipment comprising: a display unit; a storageunit; a processing unit; a communication module to be connected to anetwork so that a frame may be received from another equipment connectedto said network; and a power supply module for supplying electric powerwithin said network connectable equipment, the electric power beingsupplied to at least said communication module even if said networkconnectable equipment stays in a power-saving state, wherein saidcommunication module receives a frame transmitted from another equipmentconnected to said network, discriminates whether or not said receivedframe is destined to said network connectable equipment, and transmits anotice of the frame to said processing unit if said frame is destined tosaid network connectable equipment and said network connectableequipment does not stay in the power-saving state or transmits apower-on request to said power supply module if said frame is destinedto said network connectable equipment and said network connectableequipment stays in the power-saving state, and wherein said power supplymodule supplies electric power to at least said display unit on saidpower-on request.
 22. A network connectable equipment in claim 21,wherein when said frame includes a message to be displayed for a user,said display unit is adapted to display said message.
 23. The networkconnectable equipment in claim 21, wherein the frame transmitted fromanother equipment includes data for identifying a destination of theframe and a release from the power-saving state.
 24. The networkconnectable equipment in claim 21, wherein said power supply module is aunity module.
 25. The network connectable equipment in claim 21, whereinif the frame is destined to said network connectable equipment and saidnetwork connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state, saidcommunication module transmits said power-on request to said powersupply module without immediately transmitting the notice of the frameto said processing unit.
 26. The network connectable equipment in claim25, wherein the notice of the frame to said processing unit is a signalof interrupting the receipt of the frame.
 27. The network connectableequipment in claim 21, wherein if the network connectable equipmentstays in the power-saving state, said power supply module stopssupplying electric power to said processing unit and starts supplyingelectric power to said processing unit on said power-on request.
 28. Thenetwork connectable equipment in claim 21, wherein said communicationmodule changes a process to be executed for said processing unit basedon the frame, depending upon whether or not the network connectableequipment stays in the power-saving state.
 29. An equipment fordisplaying contents of display comprising: a display unit; a storageunit; a processing unit; a communication module for receiving a framefrom another equipment; and a power supply module for supplying electricpower within said network connectable equipment for displaying contentsof display, the electric power being supplied to said communicationmodule even if said network connectable equipment stays in apower-saving state, and wherein said communication module receives aframe transmitted from said another equipment, discriminates whether ornot said frame is destined to said network connectable equipment fordisplaying contents of display, and transmits a notice of the frame tosaid processing unit if said frame is destined to said networkconnectable equipment and said network connectable equipment does notstay in the power-saving state or transmits a power-on request to saidpower supply module if said frame is destined to said networkconnectable equipment and said network connectable equipment stays inthe power-saving state, and wherein said power supply module supplieselectric power within said network connectable equipment on saidpower-on request.
 30. The equipment for displaying contents of displayin claim 29, wherein said power supply module does not supply electricpower to said display unit but supplies electric power to at least saidstorage unit on said power-on request.
 31. The equipment for displayingcontents of display in claim 29, wherein the frame transmitted fromanother equipment includes data for identifying a destination of theframe and a release from the power-saving state.
 32. The equipment fordisplaying contents of display in claim 29, wherein said power supplymodule is a unity module.
 33. The equipment for displaying contents ofdisplay in claim 29, wherein if the frame is destined to said networkconnectable equipment and said network connectable equipment stays inthe power-saving state, said communication module transmits saidpower-on request to said power supply module without immediatelytransmitting the notice of the frame to said processing unit.
 34. Theequipment for displaying contents of display in claim 33, wherein thenotice of the frame to said processing unit is a signal of interruptingthe receipt of the frame.
 35. The equipment for displaying contents ofdisplay in claim 29, wherein if the network connectable equipment staysin the power-saving state, said power supply module stops supplyingelectric power to said processing unit and starts supplying electricpower to said processing unit on said power-on request.
 36. Theequipment for displaying contents of display in claim 29, wherein saidcommunication module changes a process to be executed for saidprocessing unit based on the frame, depending upon whether or not thenetwork connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state.